For parents, losing our teeth might be a distant memory. Most kids lose all of their primary teeth or baby teeth before they are teenagers. It can be stressful for parents as their kids’ teeth get loose but don’t initially come out. You may even be reminded of old wive’s tails about tying dental floss around a doorknob and slamming the door. But many of those DIY tooth extraction procedures can be dangerous and painful for your children. Usually, the best advice is to wait until the tooth comes out naturally.
Loose teeth can be annoying and sometimes painful for your child. And you or your child may have an urge to just pull out the tooth, but it can be dangerous to pull out a tooth prematurely. You should be aware of which teeth came in first. The first teeth to arrive are generally the first teeth to get loose and fall out. Your child’s primary teeth can also help guide their adult teeth. Removing primary teeth too early can affect where the primary teeth come in and can cause misalignment issues. And of course, pulling out a tooth early will also be very painful for your child as the tooth is still connected to nerves. The safest way to take out a primary tooth is to let it happen naturally. By wiggling their teeth with their fingers or tongue the tooth will eventually detach on its own.
In some cases, a child’s adult teeth will grow in behind the baby teeth, causing your child to temporarily have two rows of teeth. Some adults think this means they should force the baby tooth to come out to make room for the adult teeth. This is not recommended. In many cases, the primary baby tooth will fall out on its own if it is given time. Encourage your child to try wiggling it gently to help it get looser quickly. If their teeth continue to not fall out, they should see a dentist. A dentist can perform a safer tooth extraction that will cause less pain for your child and that is less likely to damage nerves around the mouth.
All Star Dental has 5 offices in the greater Chicago area that are committed to helping kids and teens take care of their teeth. If you have a question about your child’s teeth or need to set up an appointment please visit our contact page and fill out our form.
